The first concern was that the missionaries needed to update their 72 hour kits to 7 day kits. The sad part is that a lot of the missionaries save money by eating food in their 72 hour kits. Some missionaries have no food left.
The missionary allowance is very low here and the president is trying to up that. This storm has cost these missionaries more money with the purchase of adding to their 72 hour kits and the added travel.
A lot of these missionaries from here will pay for their first month in the mission field and never pay again. Remember some people make 3 or 4 dollars a day. If you are contributing to the general missionary fund, with your tithing, you may be sponsoring one of these missionaries. I am sure this happens in other 3rd world countries as well. Just remember it is a worthy cause.
It wasn't long before the president had us all scared to death. Silly, Silly Elders!
We will be bringing in 89 Elders and 38 Sisters to Laoag. Veva and I have neighbors again (the sisters are next door to us). We just lost the Nelsons yesterday.
That's 127 email that we sent out to worried parents telling them we were working to make their sons/daughters safe.
In Laoag we have big mountains around us and it will help to cut the wind down a little. In the South Carolina area the winds were expected to be 115 so they evacuated over millions of people.They are expecting 150mph winds here. WOW!
For our local missionaries we had to find out if they were high enough to be out of danger. If they live on the second floor, like us, they are much safer than ground level apartments. Also we wanted to see if their apartments were strong enough to resist 150mph winds.
So now too find places to put everyone and then gather sponges to sleep on and sheets. Of course water is a big thing and a challenge.
Sister Peterson has all ready made 3 trips to the store. We planned meals and then scratched that idea because we don't know if we can leave our buildings to feed everyone.
The missionaries are to live on their 72 our kits but not sure everyone has one. We will provide peanut butter and jelly as well as cooked rice in their places so they have something to eat.
Oh Yes remember they are sending the 5 new missionaries, that have been serving in the States and have just got their visa cleared, on Friday. That's right! they are sending them Friday, the day we start to feel the effects of the Typhoon. Welcome to Philippine life! We will need to accommodate them as well as all the rest.
No longer scared but overwhelmed!
The storm comes in Friday afternoon. Everyone will stay put until the roads are clear. We will then send the missionaries back.
We are anxious to get the missionaries back home because we have ten missionaries due to come into the Mission Home Monday afternoon to prepare for their departure.
By Tuesday we'll feed and prepare luggage and have interviews with departing missionaries. That afternoon we get them to the airport and start a training of missionaries who will now be the Senior missionaries.
Wednesday morning we pick up the 15 new missionaries as well as Elder Wakolo of the 70's and Sister Bonnie Cordon the Young Woman's President from the church.
And Now it begins, the in coming before the Typhoon hits.
Here they come!
Here they come!
Oh dear!
Did you notice that Elder Reyes wants to be in the picture and yes he is staging his shot!
We had a meeting last night with all the missionaries that have arrived. Sister Peterson showed the video of the, "10 Virgins". She said we are learning a very valuable lesson here. Always be preparing, gathering, practice self reliance so you won't be a burden on others. You want to make yourself in a position where you can be the one helping others. Then President Peterson said, "Get those kits filled and be prepared before it's to late. You won't be able to help others if you're not self reliant".
The president tried to tell everyone how serious this was even though it was beautiful skies outside.
They are opening all the chapels in the areas as a place for refuge. Isn't there a scripture about that?
Hey I'm starting to think that Bantay Chapel is starting to look pretty good now! It sets way up on that hill remember.
This is what is in our 72 hour kits that we are to live off during this storm.
After the meeting it's time to catch a Tri-C to go their assigned apartments.
Elder Reyes wants to be in charge!
Sisters next door sharing one bathroom. This morning we let them come and use our shower as well, to help them get done faster.
It was a good night for the sisters. We have a couple of hammocks up as well.
We taught a couple of our office elders a new word, "Twitterpated".
Elder Reyes and Elder Corpuz have a couple of sisters that they think are cute.
The basket ball court is outside our apartment (where all the sisters are staying) so they decided to play ball and make lots of noise, this morning so the girls would notice them.
It's hard to believe that the Super Typoon is going to hit today. It looks so nice out side.
We will send you an up date as soon as it has passed and we can get word out.
Love you all,
The Sister, Sisters
Thx for the updates, I know you’ll be protected & blessed. I also know we grow from our trials. I’ll sure be glad when this Typhone is over. Rita, I know we get high winds in Mesquite, I’ve felt like you when you took the picture of how serene things looked when we were told we had 40mph winds coming. When the power went out a few years ago I was grateful Mike was with me. I’m sure you felt just as bad as I did about the stores losing all their refrigerator and freezer products. I’ve not been close to anything close to what you’re up against. I also know you’re too busy preparing for others to write us until this is over. I’ve been worried for days about you, your sister & everyone there. My prayers are with all of you.
ReplyDeleteI love you, Cher
Praying for you dear aunties. Thanks for the update.
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